Drip drop, time passes
by Lady Monochromic
Summary: Request fic: Athena jogs to her heart's content even in rain, although sometimes her time averages are skewed when she returns earlier.


**Drip drop, time passes.**

Gales of wind forced the rain to become unmerciful as it slapped against everything it could reach. Everything including the window Simon Blackquill was watching out from. The small window was only enough to the residential playground for the apartment blocked he was in, but he need only that to see yellow darting towards the entrance lobby five floor below. Taka squawked, beside him, for both of their impatience that she was not already in their apartment.

Simon headed to the door waiting for the buzz. It came as he approached the buzzer. Clicking it after hearing Athena's simple "Hey!" the game of waiting begun again.

Three _long_ minutes had passed since he had buzzed her into her own home. Not until he heard the rattling of the front door and saw her drenched state that he could release his impatience.

"Have fun jogging?" Simon asked, stifling a chuckle behind his smile at Athena's drenched appearance.

"Of course!" Athena said, brushing her fringe back with her grin and noting the flicks of water that hit his cheek.

Entering her apartment she gave into the usual stretches as per routine required – and frankly she was not risking pulling a few muscles in case a client would ring the office requiring her (and widget's) help in getting an acquittal.

Done with the stretches the dampness of her clothes was beginning to scratch against her skin. Her grin soon hidden underneath the bright yellow hoodie she was having trouble pulling over her head. Her voice then muffled as she squirmed under the soaked fabric, "I did need that sudden flash of rain to cool me down though."

Seeing the twist Athena bent her body, not akin to any sort of stretch, caused by trapping her own left arm Simon offered aid, "Do you need some help?"

"Yes," Athena nodded. "I think it shrunk on me with the rain."

"I doubt that," Simon said. "It was more likely your washing."

Simon pulled down the hoodie releasing her from the strait-jacket she had formed. Simon grabbed a sleeve pulling it back whilst Athena slipped her arm out, waving it once it was free. They did the same with the other sleeve until both her arms were free. The prosecutor left her to her easily pull the hoodie off water still had managed to touch on the fabric of her thermals underneath.

"More like yours," Athena said sniffing the soaked hoodie. "There's a faint smell of your laundry detergent." She shoved the horrid damp cloth to his nose. Despite what she said he could only smell the damp rain diluting her sweat.

"Thanks for that," He wiped his nose wanting it be dry as it had been.

"No problem," She jested and slapped a hand on his shoulder (his left as Taka resided on the right) offering him her best smile. A surge of warmth overshadowed the teasing and took her hand with his.

It was then, Athena tugged on him slightly bending down to kick her shoes off. That in itself seemed to be a struggle. Simon was sure the young adult had removed clothing so easily before without the need of any help, especially his.

He glanced at Taka who gave a flutter of its wings; at least Simon was not alone in his thoughts. "Are you–"

"I've got it."

Simon nodded.

Relieving them both of the stress of Athena chucking her shoes to the side, she loosened her grip on his shoulder. Taking his hand she led them both to the sofa. Seating her herself before Simon she welcomed his body against hers but quickly decided to cuddle her back against his arm. Noticing he still held her soaked clothing he dumped it on the armchair opposite.

"Don't you usually take a shower, Cykes-dono?" Simon cleared whatever intangible _thing_ had suddenly made him unable to breathe calmly.

Athena deepened her voice slightly "Why yes, Blackquill-dono." The latter half of the utterance confirming his suspicion she was mimicking him – though he hardly minded the teasing it was just embarrassing to hear his speech back.

"I thought I'd relax first," Athena thumbed his palm. "Plus you sounded like you missed me."

"You had barely gone an hour," Simon said (quickly – Athena noted) "That's a hardly a lengthy time for a jog."

"Okay."

Quick to carry on Simon spoke, "If anything, I should be more worried now that you're home earlier than your average an hour and a half. You haven't hurt yourself have you?"

"Nah, look at me. My knees are fine," Athena said slowly rolling the thermals that were stiffly attached to the small goosebumps and short prickles of hair. Simon took a moment longer to stare at her legs half bare and pink – from the cold he guessed.

The lingering eyes were not unnoticed by the red-head. "Since you're looking so longingly at my legs want to help take my socks off?"

"Not particularly."

"Fine," Athena puffed. She hunched over to yank the socks whilst Simon silently brooded over the missing warmth on his arm. However, he rather did not like the small nudges he got from her trying to undress.

Once done, Athena held her pair of socks as if they were trophies of being to undress wet clothing without Simon's aid. Her not moving from her spot as she rolled her shoulders, the male's want of her to simply sit beside him again was not fulfilled. Instead Athena picked the discarded hoodie.

"I might as well take a shower," Athena said.

"What happened to relaxing? Or me apparently missing you?"

Athena shrugged. "I'll do it after. Plus you can miss me a little longer so I can fill that longing heart afterwards."

Athena leaned forward to brush his black hair back revealing the forehead that was always hidden. The two close enough to make eye contact with a need for eyes to adjust to the proximity. Athena gave a smile before tilting his head down, so he could see a green widget, and pecked his forehead. Her contact from hand and lips lingered but were welcome to.

After a few moments of them taking attention to their contact, Athena broke it with a soft smile again. "I'll be back all clean and brighter than that blade you polish!" A peace sign was given energetically before she dashed to the bathroom.

Simon and Taka watched as the door to the bathroom slammed. Before he could turn around she creaked the door back open. "I actually just came home early for you." Athena grinned the distance between them fortunately making it hard for him to see the growing blush running over her face. That would have been if widget didn't beep "Stop blushing."

The door slammed.

Rain was heard once more against the windows. Simon could only wait. Although this time he wouldn't wait by the window trickling droplets of water, he would wait on the sofa as she left him.

Athena Cykes would always come back to Simon Blackquill.


End file.
